Chicago’s Obsession With Upscale Food Courts

sandwich from Pastoral at French Market
Flickr user Edsel Little shares a photo of a sandwich​ from Pastoral at Chicago French Market. Edsel Little / Flickr
sandwich from Pastoral at French Market
Flickr user Edsel Little shares a photo of a sandwich​ from Pastoral at Chicago French Market. Edsel Little / Flickr

Chicago’s Obsession With Upscale Food Courts

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For generations, food halls were the bane of the long road trip. 

Hidden away in rest stops on the side of the road, these bastions of culinary depression would feature restaurants that you would not see anywhere else. Sbarro;. Auntie Annie’s Pretzels, some random teriyaki chicken place. 

But food courts are being revitalized into cool places where you can get some legitimately good eats. To look at where this trend came from, and where it is going, we talk to Louisa Chu and Nick Kindelsperger, two food journalists from the Chicago Tribune.